matthew 6:25-34
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Matthew 6:25-34:
“Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? 28 “So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; 29 and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31 “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. 
 Oswald Chambers
"Take no thought...' Don't take the pressure of forethought upon yourself. It is not only wrong to worry, it is infidelity, because worrying means that we do not think that God can look after the practical details of our lives, and it is never anything else that worries us. Have you ever noticed what Jesus said would choke the word He puts in? The devil? No, the cares of this world. It is the little worries always. I will not trust where I cannot see. That is where infidelity begins. The only cure for infidelity is obedience to the Spirit."
-Oswald Chambers  John Gill
But seek first the kingdom of God
Meaning either the Gospel, and the ministration of it; in which sense this phrase is often used, see ( Matthew 21:43 ) ( Mark 1:14 ) ( Luke 4:43 Luke 9:2-60 Luke 16:16 ) and which is diligently to be sought after, and into; to be constantly attended on, and to be preferred to our necessary food, to raiment, or riches, or any enjoyment of life: or else the kingdom of glory, which is prepared by God, and is his gift; for which he makes his people meet here, and will introduce them into it hereafter. - John Gills Exposition of the Bible There are at least four major takeaways from the passage that include Matthew 6:33.
It is probably not a coincidence that Jesus had just taught his disciples to pray first for the agendas of God’s kingdom (6:9-10) and only after that for their own basic needs (6:11-13). In Greek, in fact, “your” is emphatic in the first three lines: “Hallowed be your name, may your kingdom come, may your will be done.” Only after that do we pray for our daily bread, forgiveness, and protection from temptation.
This does not mean that we should not eat. When Jesus’s disciples were going through a grainfield, he defended their biblical right to pluck grain even though it was the sabbath (Matt 12:1-8). When people condemned them for not fasting more, he defended them (9:14-17). When not enough food was available for the crowds that followed him, he multiplied it (14:15-21; 15:29-38). The key issue in all these cases is that people were following him, seeking the kingdom; by the end of Matthew’s Gospel, it is clear to all who follow him that Jesus is the king (28:18). If we hunger and thirst for righteousness (5:6), we will put God and his work before our own needs. We indeed pray for our daily bread, but we pray even before that for the coming of his reign. Rather than storing up earthly treasures (6:19-21), we store up heavenly ones by meeting the needs of other people about whom God also cares (19:21). God is well able to supply our needs, especially if we are willing to live with the basic things he provides rather than competing with others for status symbols (6:28-32). -Bible Background 
Worry is destructive – not constructive. It damages health, disrupts productivity and negatively affects how you treat others. Worry reduces the ability to trust in God! Don’t let worry saddle you. “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything.” There is an alternative. The Bible says, “instead, pray… -Rev. Michael W. Eagle, Sr. ; Grant AME Church
God doesn’t want you worried over anything. When worry attacks your mind, don’t think it’s going to go away on its own; no. Worry is spiritual; that’s why you have to repel it with your shield of faith: “Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked” (Ephesians 6:16).
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Luke 12:31-32,34: "No, set your heart on his kingdom, and your food and drink will come as a matter of course. Don't be afraid, you tiny flock! Your Father plans to give you the kingdom... For wherever your treasure is, you may be certain that your heart will be there too!" Isaiah 26:3-4: You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You. 4 Trust in the LORD forever, For in YAH, the LORD, is everlasting strength.
Matthew 6:33 begins with the conjunction "but." That lets us know it is not a stand-alone verse. It is the continuation of a conversation that started much earlier.
Philippians 4:6-7 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."
Psalms 55:22 "Cast your cares on the LORD, and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken."
Proverbs 3: 5-6 "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight." 
1 Peter 5:7: Casting the whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully.
“The law of the Lord is perfect, refreshing the soul.” (Psalms 19:8) In other words, the law of the Lord refreshes our true identity and shows us who we were created to be.
 Oswald Chambers
"The great word of Jesus to His disciples is abandon. Immediately we look at these words of Jesus, we find them the most revolutionary statement human ears ever listened to. 'Seek ye first the kingdom of God.' We argue in exactly the opposite way, even the most spiritually-minded of us--'But I must live; I must make so much money; I must be clothed; I must be fed.' The great concern of our lives is not the kingdom of God, but how we are to fit ourselves to live. Jesus reverses the order: Get rightly related to God first, maintain that as the great care of your life, and never put the concern of your care on the other things." -Oswald Chambers
The Novum Testamentum Graece text is:
ζητεῖτε δὲ πρῶτον τὴν βασιλείαν καὶ τὴν δικαιοσύνην αὐτοῦ, καὶ ταῦτα πάντα προστεθήσεται ὑμῖν. 
But when we read that the Apostle suffered hunger and thirst, let us not think that God’s promises failed him; for these things are rather aids. That Physician to whom we have entirely entrusted ourselves, knows when He will give and when He will withhold, as He judges most for our advantage. So that should these things ever be lacking to us, (as God to exercise us often permits,) it will not weaken our fixed purpose, but rather confirm it when wavering. -Augustine
When the day is done, you want to have a good name and a good reputation. Proverbs 22:1 says, “Choose a good reputation over great riches; being held in high esteem is better than silver or gold” (nlt).
Seek first the kingdom of God. If you want a life free of worry, anxiety, and fear, then put God’s kingdom before everything else. Seek Him first, and He will take care of you. -Greg Laurie 
Instead of seeking first the things of this world, through our own effort, we are urged to seek Him first – to develop a right perspective, to exchange natural thinking for godly thinking. So as we trust Him to fulfil His promise to provide for our needs, remembering that He is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, let us take the words of Jesus to heart to seek HIM first, and make HIM our main focus, today and every day. -Knowing Jesus
Jesus taught us the importance of the kingdom and He is more than enough to provide for His kingdom by Himself. God is not a user of men but a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. You cannot seek God while He abandons you because He does not owe any man.
It is in seeking after God’s agenda or plans with our time in prayers, resources, talents, abilities, energy, etc. lies our blessings. Jeremiah 29:13 tells us, “And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.” We are commanded to pursue or seek God’s kingdom willingly and intentionally. It is a choice and a choice of the wise. This must be done with the whole of our hearts for it to be acceptable. God does not force anyone. What a privilege God has given to us to seek Him and serve Him. He provides us with rewards for our service to Him and others. These rewards or additions come in different forms. It can be physically, mentally, or spiritually. He will replace our lack with abundance, the spirit of heaviness with the garment of praise or spirit of joy, and grant us spiritual enrichment, riches, and honour, just to mention a few. As believers, if we set God’s rules and righteousness first as our priorities for living, God will set us high above all nations of the earth. Jesus is the ruler and He beckons on us to make pursuing His kingdom a priority. - Christian Walls 
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1 Seek ye first the kingdom of God
And His righteousness; And all these things shall be added unto you. Hallelu, Hallelujah! 2 Ask, and it shall be given unto you; Seek, and you shall find. Knock, and it shall be opened unto you. Hallelu, Hallelujah! 3 Man shall not live by bread alone, But by every word That proceeds out from the mouth of God. Hallelu, Hallelujah! © 1972, Maranatha! Music (admin by Capital CMG Publishing) |
“Not only is such anxiety wrong, but it is a sin of great gravity. It is not simply a constitutional infirmity which we may excuse, a mere trifle we need not be concerned about, but rather is it a foul iniquity from which we should seek cleansing. To be fearful about the supply of future needs, to be worried that we may yet be left to suffer the lack of temporal necessities, is to be guilty of wicked unbelief. It calls into question the goodness and care of our Creator. It manifests a lack of faith in His wise and gracious providence. And if we be Christians, it betrays doubt of our Father's love. And surely these are evils of the deepest dye."
-Arthur Pink
-Arthur Pink
Jesus said, "Do not worry" - this is a present imperative with the negative, a command forbidding worry about food and clothing. The command can mean that they must stop worrying if it is already happening. The word "worry" is from the Greek word merimnao, which means: "to be anxious about, to worry, be concerned for." We are all commanded not to worry about anything. Look at what Paul told the Philippians:
Philippians 4:6 (NKJV) Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;"Be anxious for nothing" - the Greek construction forbids the continuance of an action already habitually going on. The word "nothing" is the Greek word medeis, it literally means: "not even one thing." Here Paul tells the Philippians not to be anxious - merimnao. This verb is the same one used by Jesus in the Gospels, "...do not worry about your life". What is forbidden in the gospels and in Philippians 4 is anxious care for one's self and one's own interest. -Berean Bible Church |
Well, just before he shifts to the topic of worry, Jesus spoke of money, telling us, “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money” (v. 24).
Keep that in mind as you read verse 25: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?” In other words, if you’ve chosen to serve God instead of money, and you’ve chosen to love God instead of all the stuff in your house, and you’ve chosen to be devoted to God instead of your stomach, do not worry about these other things. Life in the kingdom of heaven is infinitely more important than food. And our bodies in heaven are infinitely more important than clothes. Jesus calls us to take our eyes off all the stuff around us and reorient ourselves to God. And if we are reoriented to God, there is no place in our lives for worrying about food, water, clothes or even tomorrow’s utility bills. --Dane Davis; Impact Christian Church |
God knows what we are in need of before we ask. Then by seeking Him we get to know Him and the love given us. However, a strong relationship is not built only on what He gives but recognizing He desires our love in return.
Let’s ask ourselves: ‘Are we seeking’ God at all, or are we seeking something other than the relationship with Him? When truly seeking God and drawing near to Him, we will cease from asking for things and begin to approach with hearts of thanksgiving!
‘Are we seeking?' If so, the rewards and blessings are available just by having faith in Him! He is the Great, ‘I AM’ (Exodus 3:14). -Ron Witbeck; Resurrection Life Church
Let’s ask ourselves: ‘Are we seeking’ God at all, or are we seeking something other than the relationship with Him? When truly seeking God and drawing near to Him, we will cease from asking for things and begin to approach with hearts of thanksgiving!
‘Are we seeking?' If so, the rewards and blessings are available just by having faith in Him! He is the Great, ‘I AM’ (Exodus 3:14). -Ron Witbeck; Resurrection Life Church
When we look at these words of Jesus, we immediately find them to be the most revolutionary that human ears have ever heard. “…seek first the kingdom of God….” Even the most spiritually-minded of us argue the exact opposite, saying, “But I must live; I must make a certain amount of money; I must be clothed; I must be fed.” The great concern of our lives is not the kingdom of God but how we are going to take care of ourselves to live. Jesus reversed the order by telling us to get the right relationship with God first, maintaining it as the primary concern of our lives, and never to place our concern on taking care of the other things of life.
“…do not worry about your life…” (Matthew 6:25). Our Lord pointed out that from His standpoint it is absolutely unreasonable for us to be anxious, worrying about how we will live. Jesus did not say that the person who takes no thought for anything in his life is blessed— no, that person is a fool. But Jesus did teach that His disciple must make his relationship with God the dominating focus of his life, and to be cautiously carefree about everything else in comparison to that. In essence, Jesus was saying, “Don’t make food and drink the controlling factor of your life, but be focused absolutely on God.” Some people are careless about what they eat and drink, and they suffer for it; they are careless about what they wear, having no business looking the way they do; they are careless with their earthly matters, and God holds them responsible. Jesus is saying that the greatest concern of life is to place our relationship with God first, and everything else second. It is one of the most difficult, yet critical, disciplines of the Christian life to allow the Holy Spirit to bring us into absolute harmony with the teaching of Jesus in these verses. -Oswald Chambers |
Breaking Down the Key Parts of Matthew 6:25
#1 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry…” Having spoken of the love of money and treasure in heaven, Jesus says, “Do not worry.” The Christian has the right not to worry about anything. In fact, he or she is here commanded not to worry. This should be a source of great encouragement. #2 “…about your life,” God holds your life in the palm of his hand (Isa 41:10). Jesus teaches us that his Father and ours cares for us, and our life is important to our Creator. #3 “what you will eat or drink;” God is the one who provides our daily bread. He created us and mandated for us to be productive, but even in our own productivity, we are to look to him for our sustenance (Ps 145:15-16). #4 “or about your body, what you will wear.” Indeed, When Adam and his wife made their own clothes to cover their shame (Gen 3:7), God made the first animal sacrifice to make clothes for them, forecasting the future sacrifice of his only Son to cover our nakedness and shame. #5 “Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?” Jesus calls us to trust God for the basic things of life and shift our eyes higher to more important things—God, love, justice, mercy, joy, and truth. -Connect Us |
The kingdom of God is righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. God's chain of command must be in place before wealth can be created. We must seek the dominion of Christ, and then we will obtain wealth. Men blinded by sin vainly rush into the marketplace to try to get rich. They heap up what they can and place it in bags that have holes. In other words, their wealth is fleeting or temporary. Such is the fate of all those who seek riches contrary to the law of God. We are so accustomed to giving humanistic concerns priority that it is difficult for us to imagine society as otherwise than it is, a man-centered world. Men want their humanism baptized, not supplanted. Christianization is supposed to make their fallen world more livable, not obsolete nor morally untenable. In this view, Christianity is seen as the extra topping of life to make it even better. This is the essence of modernism, to give priority to this world and especially man.
Nine elements of SEEKING:
1. Desire = If we have no desire, we will not seek.
2. Time = Seeking requires time.
3. Effort = Seeking is a work discipline.
4. Determination = Seeking is not a one time event.
5. Direction = We must seek things above.
6. A Goal = We must seek the kingdom of God.
7. A Decision = Only you can make the decision.
8. Sacrifice = We must let go of what we are holding on to, in order to seek.
9. Reward = God promises us prosperity.
We must making seek the Kingdom of God, a priority. It must come, FIRST, above everything else.
Where there is a Kingdom, there must be:
1. A King
2. The King must rule with both authority and power. Jesus demonstrated both.
3. There must be subjects submitted to the rule of the King. This is where we enter through faith and obedience.
And the benefits?: There is food, shelter, and clothing, peace of mind, prosperity, and health.
"Repent" is the first call of the Gospel. Repentance is the primary condition for the possibility to receive the Kingdom of God. The Russian word "repent" is insufficient to render the original notion; "metanoi´te" of the authentic text means change your way of thinking, your attitude to life and your entire system of values.
This call for repentance supposes that another life is possible and realizable in the world; a life, different than that which people live, groaning under its burden. Delusion, love for self, malice and chaotic stream of low instincts are not unbreakable chains. Better, noble and holy volition's exist along with them in a man, at least in a latent and potential form: love of the truth, compassion, fraternity, vague longing for righteousness. If one would not lose them but let them open and blossom, then one's inner world will glow with heavenly light; the life will change beyond recognition: peace, righteousness and charity will dwell in one's heart, replacing vicious and shameful desires.
It has already been said that, in today's conditions, the Kingdom of God is not as much realized in outward social improvements as in the inward betterment it makes in people. The Kingdom of God is especially close to those oppressed by this world of vulgarity and cruelty, languished under their own sins and imperfections, gasping in the surrounding atmosphere of lies and untruth, and longing for the triumph of good and truth.
Should some one have thirst for spiritual renewal, the Kingdom of God will come for him. Should a nation have this thirst, then the Kingdom of God will come for this nation. But for him who is self-satisfied and happy about the existing world, who cannot understand and ridicules the longing for the ideal, who is not worried by falsehood and lawbreaking, who despises purity and unselfishness, who dreams of riches and pursues the worldly joys and bodily pleasures, for him the Kingdom of God is a strange and unwanted teaching.
The Kingdom of God is not to triumph in this world. It is the "strait gate and narrow way" that few can find. It is not a completed "building" but one under construction. But still it is a fairly real thing that has been fulfilling in the world since the day the Savior came to earth. It always grows and spreads out, attracts and absorbs spiritually sensitive people from all walks of society, all nations and all stages of development. It is an organization (association) of individuals, thoughts, powers, writings, outward transformations and occurrences, guided by God and developed by the invisible power of His grace. The Kingdom of God is a new, righteous life, built upon the faith in the Savior and acceptance of His teaching.
The injunction "seek ye first" means at least three things. First, seeking God's kingdom and righteousness must be our first business in point of time: we must allow nothing else to take precedence before it. Second, we must regard nothing as of greater importance, or of equal importance, than seeking God's kingdom. Third, "seek ye first" implies that Christianity is to be the great business of our future life. The Christian faith is always to be considered as of the first importance to be attended to, and to be the first concern of life.
Until we seek first God's kingdom and His righteousness, nothing else we do can be acceptable to God. As long as we neglect this great salvation, as long as we have not secured our justification by faith in Christ, as long as we are not interest- ed in the kingdom of God by actually embracing it and receiving its laws into our heart, we can do nothing acceptable to God. Until we have done this, we cannot fulfill any requirement of God and He cannot accept anything else we do--for "whatever is not of faith is sin" (Romans 14:23). Whatever does not imply faith in us is sin; therefore, if we neglect salvation in Christ as of primary importance, nothing that we do can be acceptable to God. People may have all the outward forms of morality and goodness, but if they have neglected the kingdom of God and His righteousness, whatever else they do, God will not accept them. He will not and cannot accept us if we are putting last what He has put first, and that first which He has put last. God re- quires us to put this first, and if we do not put things in the order which He has commanded, if we do not make this the great business of life, the first business of our lives, nothing else that we do is acceptable to God.
Since seeking His righteousness is the most important business to us, it should claim our first attention. What can compare with its importance to us as individuals? If we secure an interest in the kingdom of God, if we become subjects of His government, whatever else we fail to secure is unimportant. Whatever else we fail to secure we shall hardly regret in the future. But if we do not secure this, whatever else we secure will only increase our responsibility and our guilt. People ought to understand this: nothing is of any real importance to us unless it is connected with God's kingdom, and shall enable us to obey more effectually His command.
Now, if we regard anything as more important than our relationship with God in His kingdom, we entirely pervert things. God's kingdom is most important to ourselves and to our families; most important to all who stand in any relation to us and have any claims upon us. Who does not understand and believe this?
Suppose a man neglects God and Christianity for the sake of his family. Does he thereby really benefit his family? No indeed! The real and best interests of his family require that he should pay his first and chief attention to this great requirement of God. Who can doubt this? No man really and truly benefited his family by neglecting to obey God. Such a thing never was and never can be. By neglecting to put Christ first and make Christian faith his first duty, who can tell how much the family may have to suffer from his negligence?
Putting God's kingdom first is most important to a person's creditors. If a man disobeys God, His curse is upon him, and upon all that he does and has. But if he obeys God, he may expect a blessing upon his business; and if a man endeavors to please God, he is sure to be an honest man. If a man owes me money, and that man tries to obey and please God, I have reason to believe that he will be enabled to pay me sooner than if he did not regard the commands of God at all. Therefore, even if I were a selfish man, I should say to my debtor, "Whatever else you do, don't neglect to obey God--don't neglect your duty to Him."
Nine elements of SEEKING:
1. Desire = If we have no desire, we will not seek.
2. Time = Seeking requires time.
3. Effort = Seeking is a work discipline.
4. Determination = Seeking is not a one time event.
5. Direction = We must seek things above.
6. A Goal = We must seek the kingdom of God.
7. A Decision = Only you can make the decision.
8. Sacrifice = We must let go of what we are holding on to, in order to seek.
9. Reward = God promises us prosperity.
We must making seek the Kingdom of God, a priority. It must come, FIRST, above everything else.
Where there is a Kingdom, there must be:
1. A King
2. The King must rule with both authority and power. Jesus demonstrated both.
3. There must be subjects submitted to the rule of the King. This is where we enter through faith and obedience.
And the benefits?: There is food, shelter, and clothing, peace of mind, prosperity, and health.
"Repent" is the first call of the Gospel. Repentance is the primary condition for the possibility to receive the Kingdom of God. The Russian word "repent" is insufficient to render the original notion; "metanoi´te" of the authentic text means change your way of thinking, your attitude to life and your entire system of values.
This call for repentance supposes that another life is possible and realizable in the world; a life, different than that which people live, groaning under its burden. Delusion, love for self, malice and chaotic stream of low instincts are not unbreakable chains. Better, noble and holy volition's exist along with them in a man, at least in a latent and potential form: love of the truth, compassion, fraternity, vague longing for righteousness. If one would not lose them but let them open and blossom, then one's inner world will glow with heavenly light; the life will change beyond recognition: peace, righteousness and charity will dwell in one's heart, replacing vicious and shameful desires.
It has already been said that, in today's conditions, the Kingdom of God is not as much realized in outward social improvements as in the inward betterment it makes in people. The Kingdom of God is especially close to those oppressed by this world of vulgarity and cruelty, languished under their own sins and imperfections, gasping in the surrounding atmosphere of lies and untruth, and longing for the triumph of good and truth.
Should some one have thirst for spiritual renewal, the Kingdom of God will come for him. Should a nation have this thirst, then the Kingdom of God will come for this nation. But for him who is self-satisfied and happy about the existing world, who cannot understand and ridicules the longing for the ideal, who is not worried by falsehood and lawbreaking, who despises purity and unselfishness, who dreams of riches and pursues the worldly joys and bodily pleasures, for him the Kingdom of God is a strange and unwanted teaching.
The Kingdom of God is not to triumph in this world. It is the "strait gate and narrow way" that few can find. It is not a completed "building" but one under construction. But still it is a fairly real thing that has been fulfilling in the world since the day the Savior came to earth. It always grows and spreads out, attracts and absorbs spiritually sensitive people from all walks of society, all nations and all stages of development. It is an organization (association) of individuals, thoughts, powers, writings, outward transformations and occurrences, guided by God and developed by the invisible power of His grace. The Kingdom of God is a new, righteous life, built upon the faith in the Savior and acceptance of His teaching.
The injunction "seek ye first" means at least three things. First, seeking God's kingdom and righteousness must be our first business in point of time: we must allow nothing else to take precedence before it. Second, we must regard nothing as of greater importance, or of equal importance, than seeking God's kingdom. Third, "seek ye first" implies that Christianity is to be the great business of our future life. The Christian faith is always to be considered as of the first importance to be attended to, and to be the first concern of life.
Until we seek first God's kingdom and His righteousness, nothing else we do can be acceptable to God. As long as we neglect this great salvation, as long as we have not secured our justification by faith in Christ, as long as we are not interest- ed in the kingdom of God by actually embracing it and receiving its laws into our heart, we can do nothing acceptable to God. Until we have done this, we cannot fulfill any requirement of God and He cannot accept anything else we do--for "whatever is not of faith is sin" (Romans 14:23). Whatever does not imply faith in us is sin; therefore, if we neglect salvation in Christ as of primary importance, nothing that we do can be acceptable to God. People may have all the outward forms of morality and goodness, but if they have neglected the kingdom of God and His righteousness, whatever else they do, God will not accept them. He will not and cannot accept us if we are putting last what He has put first, and that first which He has put last. God re- quires us to put this first, and if we do not put things in the order which He has commanded, if we do not make this the great business of life, the first business of our lives, nothing else that we do is acceptable to God.
Since seeking His righteousness is the most important business to us, it should claim our first attention. What can compare with its importance to us as individuals? If we secure an interest in the kingdom of God, if we become subjects of His government, whatever else we fail to secure is unimportant. Whatever else we fail to secure we shall hardly regret in the future. But if we do not secure this, whatever else we secure will only increase our responsibility and our guilt. People ought to understand this: nothing is of any real importance to us unless it is connected with God's kingdom, and shall enable us to obey more effectually His command.
Now, if we regard anything as more important than our relationship with God in His kingdom, we entirely pervert things. God's kingdom is most important to ourselves and to our families; most important to all who stand in any relation to us and have any claims upon us. Who does not understand and believe this?
Suppose a man neglects God and Christianity for the sake of his family. Does he thereby really benefit his family? No indeed! The real and best interests of his family require that he should pay his first and chief attention to this great requirement of God. Who can doubt this? No man really and truly benefited his family by neglecting to obey God. Such a thing never was and never can be. By neglecting to put Christ first and make Christian faith his first duty, who can tell how much the family may have to suffer from his negligence?
Putting God's kingdom first is most important to a person's creditors. If a man disobeys God, His curse is upon him, and upon all that he does and has. But if he obeys God, he may expect a blessing upon his business; and if a man endeavors to please God, he is sure to be an honest man. If a man owes me money, and that man tries to obey and please God, I have reason to believe that he will be enabled to pay me sooner than if he did not regard the commands of God at all. Therefore, even if I were a selfish man, I should say to my debtor, "Whatever else you do, don't neglect to obey God--don't neglect your duty to Him."
===matthew 6:33:
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Matthew 6:33:
33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. |
The reality is that if you ask 10,000 Christians what it means to seek God first, you will get 10,000 answers. And this fact is most certainly a clear indication of a serious problem. .....By stating that we should seek “first” the kingdom of God and his righteousness, it seems that Jesus is permitting us to seek other things as well, as long as the first thing we seek is God’s kingdom and righteousness. Indeed, if there is something to be sought “first”, then logic demands that, at least, there must be something to be sought “second”. And this understanding is arguably the most prevalent for most of us Christians. But isn’t this understanding flawed?
Look again at this verse. What is the result of seeking God’s kingdom and righteousness first? “All these things will absolutely (that is what “shall” means) be added unto us”. What things? The things listed throughout Matthew 6, which are everything us, human beings, typically seek in life: “what we shall eat, what we shall drink, what we shall put on”. So the obvious question is this: If “every” imaginable natural need we seek to satisfy in life will be “given” to us, what else is there to seek? Obviously nothing! Because something that is given does not need to be sought after…it is given. We see therefore that although Matthew 6:33 states “Seek ye first”, it actually gives no room for something else to be sought after.- Biblical Diagnosis |
Andrew Murray
“Seek ye first the kingdom of God.”-Matt. 6:33.
You have heard what need there is of unity in Christian life and Christian work. And where is the bond of unity between the life of the church, the life of the individual believer, and the work to be done among the heathen? One of the expressions for that unity is: “Seek first the Kingdom of God.” That does not mean, as many people take it: “Seek salvation; seek to get into the Kingdom, and then thank God and rest there.” Ah, no, the meaning of that word is entirely different and infinitely larger. It means: Let the Kingdom of God, in all its breadth and length, in all its heavenly glory and power; let the Kingdom of God be the one thing you live for, and all other things will be added unto you. “Seek first the Kingdom of God.” Let me just try to answer two very simple questions; the one: “Why should the Kingdom of God be first?” and the other: “How can it be?”
Why Should It Be SoI. The one, “Why should it be so?” God has created us as reasonable beings, so that the more clearly we see that according to the law of nature, according to the fitness of things, something that is set before us is proper, and an absolute necessity, we so much the more willingly accept it, and aim after it. And now, why does Christ say this: “Seek first the Kingdom of God?” If you want to understand the reason, look at God, and look at man.
Look at God. Who is God? The great Being, for whom alone the universe exists, in whom alone it can have its happiness. It came from Him. It cannot find any rest or joy but in Him. Oh, that Christians understood and believed that God is a fountain of happiness, perfect, everlasting blessedness! What would the result be? Every Christian would say: “The more I can have of God, the happier. The more of God's will, and the more of God's love, and the more of God's fellowship, the happier.” Now Christians, if they believed that with their whole heart, would, with the utmost ease, give up everything that would separate them from God! Why is it that we find it so hard to hold fellowship with God? A young minister once said to me: “Why is it that I have so much more interest in study than in prayer, and how can you teach me the art of fellowship with God?” My answer was: “Oh, my brother, if we have any true conception of what God is, the art of fellowship with Him will come naturally, and will be a delight.” Yes, if we believed God to be only joy to the one who comes to Him, only a fountain of unlimited blessing, how we should give up all for Him! But, alas, the Kingdom of God looks to many as a burden, and as something unnatural. It looks like a strain, and we seek some relaxation in the world, and God is not our chief joy. I come to you with a message. It is right, on account of what God is as Infinite Love, as Infinite Blessing; it is right, and more, it is our highest privilege, to listen to Christ's words, and to seek God and His Kingdom first and above everything.
And then again look at man: man's nature. What was man created for? To live in the likeness of God, and in His image. Now, if we have been created in the image and likeness of God, we can find our happiness in nothing except that in that which God finds His happiness. The more like Him we are, the happier. And in what does God find His happiness? In two things: Everlasting righteousness and everlasting beneficence. God is righteousness everlasting.
“He is Light, and in him is no darkness.” The Kingdom, the domination, the rule of God will bring us nothing but righteousness. “Seek the Kingdom of God and his righteousness.” If men but knew what sin is, and if men really longed to be free from everything like sin, what a grand message this would be! Jesus comes to lead me to God and His righteousness. We were created to be like God, in His perfect righteousness and holiness. What a prospect! And in His love too. The Kingdom of God means this: that there is in God a rule of universal love. He loves, and loves, and never ceases to love; and He longs to bless all who will yield to His pleadings.
-Andrew Murray; From a sermon published in the Homiletic Review, Volume 37, 1899
You have heard what need there is of unity in Christian life and Christian work. And where is the bond of unity between the life of the church, the life of the individual believer, and the work to be done among the heathen? One of the expressions for that unity is: “Seek first the Kingdom of God.” That does not mean, as many people take it: “Seek salvation; seek to get into the Kingdom, and then thank God and rest there.” Ah, no, the meaning of that word is entirely different and infinitely larger. It means: Let the Kingdom of God, in all its breadth and length, in all its heavenly glory and power; let the Kingdom of God be the one thing you live for, and all other things will be added unto you. “Seek first the Kingdom of God.” Let me just try to answer two very simple questions; the one: “Why should the Kingdom of God be first?” and the other: “How can it be?”
Why Should It Be SoI. The one, “Why should it be so?” God has created us as reasonable beings, so that the more clearly we see that according to the law of nature, according to the fitness of things, something that is set before us is proper, and an absolute necessity, we so much the more willingly accept it, and aim after it. And now, why does Christ say this: “Seek first the Kingdom of God?” If you want to understand the reason, look at God, and look at man.
Look at God. Who is God? The great Being, for whom alone the universe exists, in whom alone it can have its happiness. It came from Him. It cannot find any rest or joy but in Him. Oh, that Christians understood and believed that God is a fountain of happiness, perfect, everlasting blessedness! What would the result be? Every Christian would say: “The more I can have of God, the happier. The more of God's will, and the more of God's love, and the more of God's fellowship, the happier.” Now Christians, if they believed that with their whole heart, would, with the utmost ease, give up everything that would separate them from God! Why is it that we find it so hard to hold fellowship with God? A young minister once said to me: “Why is it that I have so much more interest in study than in prayer, and how can you teach me the art of fellowship with God?” My answer was: “Oh, my brother, if we have any true conception of what God is, the art of fellowship with Him will come naturally, and will be a delight.” Yes, if we believed God to be only joy to the one who comes to Him, only a fountain of unlimited blessing, how we should give up all for Him! But, alas, the Kingdom of God looks to many as a burden, and as something unnatural. It looks like a strain, and we seek some relaxation in the world, and God is not our chief joy. I come to you with a message. It is right, on account of what God is as Infinite Love, as Infinite Blessing; it is right, and more, it is our highest privilege, to listen to Christ's words, and to seek God and His Kingdom first and above everything.
And then again look at man: man's nature. What was man created for? To live in the likeness of God, and in His image. Now, if we have been created in the image and likeness of God, we can find our happiness in nothing except that in that which God finds His happiness. The more like Him we are, the happier. And in what does God find His happiness? In two things: Everlasting righteousness and everlasting beneficence. God is righteousness everlasting.
“He is Light, and in him is no darkness.” The Kingdom, the domination, the rule of God will bring us nothing but righteousness. “Seek the Kingdom of God and his righteousness.” If men but knew what sin is, and if men really longed to be free from everything like sin, what a grand message this would be! Jesus comes to lead me to God and His righteousness. We were created to be like God, in His perfect righteousness and holiness. What a prospect! And in His love too. The Kingdom of God means this: that there is in God a rule of universal love. He loves, and loves, and never ceases to love; and He longs to bless all who will yield to His pleadings.
-Andrew Murray; From a sermon published in the Homiletic Review, Volume 37, 1899
Pastor David B Curtis
Now, being rich has its share of problems, just as being poor has its share. The temptation to the rich is to trust in riches, while the temptation to the poor is to doubt God's provision. But in both cases the Lord is saying, "I have a perspective for you. If you are rich or poor, your focus is to be on Me." For example, in verse 21 He says, "Put your treasure in heaven, because that is where I want your heart." In verse 33 He says, "But seek ye first the kingdom...." In other words, "Put your heart in heaven and don't worry, I will give you what you need." The focus of the rich in the world is to lay up treasures on earth (v. 19). The focus of the poor in the world is to seek after what they will eat, drink, and wear for clothing. If you are rich, pursue a heavenly investment; if you are poor, pursue the kingdom of God. When it comes to money and possessions, our focus is to be on God and not on possessions. We are not to grasp and claw after things, we are to seek God and allow Him to fulfill His promises and provisions to us.
The emphasis of verses 25 through 34 is on the subject of anxiety or worry. Three times in these verses, Christ gives the admonition, "Do not be anxious." We live in a society which is characterized by worry over material things. -David B Curtis; Berean Bible Church; Stop Worrying, Start Trusting! Matthew 6:25-27 03/02/2003
The emphasis of verses 25 through 34 is on the subject of anxiety or worry. Three times in these verses, Christ gives the admonition, "Do not be anxious." We live in a society which is characterized by worry over material things. -David B Curtis; Berean Bible Church; Stop Worrying, Start Trusting! Matthew 6:25-27 03/02/2003
The simple, yet profound, reason we must seek God’s Kingdom is that thousands of years of history show that we humans cannot effectively rule ourselves; and in the end, all human governments apart from God will fail.
Solomon wrote in Proverbs 14:12 that “there is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death” (emphasis added throughout). Jeremiah added: “O LORD, I know the way of man is not in himself; it is not in man who walks to direct his own steps” (Jeremiah 10:23).
Humans have tried every form of government, yet all have eventually come to an end. In addressing events leading to the end of man’s age of self-rule and the beginning of God’s rule on this earth, Jesus said, “For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be.” Continuing, He said, “And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved” (Matthew 24:21-22).
In short, humans need a better government, a government that will be able to produce peace and prosperity forever. --Dave Meyers; Life Hope & Truth
Solomon wrote in Proverbs 14:12 that “there is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death” (emphasis added throughout). Jeremiah added: “O LORD, I know the way of man is not in himself; it is not in man who walks to direct his own steps” (Jeremiah 10:23).
Humans have tried every form of government, yet all have eventually come to an end. In addressing events leading to the end of man’s age of self-rule and the beginning of God’s rule on this earth, Jesus said, “For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be.” Continuing, He said, “And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved” (Matthew 24:21-22).
In short, humans need a better government, a government that will be able to produce peace and prosperity forever. --Dave Meyers; Life Hope & Truth
Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. Matthew only. Luke's conclusion to this section ("Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom") is perhaps more closely connected with the preceding verse, and also grander as dwelling upon God's side; but Matthew's is more practical, dealing with the subject from man's side. Christ says, "Because all needful things shall be added, do not have one anxious thought for the future, even for what is coming on the very next day." Such anxiety shows a want of common sense, for each day brings its own burden of anxiety for itself. Christ here seems to allow anxiety for each day as it comes round. "But," he says, "put off your to-morrow's anxiety until to-morrow." If this be done, the greater part of all our anxiety is put aside at once, and, for the rest of it, the principle will apply to each hour as well as to each day (cf. Bengel). The Christian will ever try to follow the inspired advice of St. Paul (Philippians 4:6) and St. Peter (1 Peter 5:7). The morrow shall take thought for; "be anxious" as supra. The things of itself; for itself (Revised Version); αὑτῆς. The unique construction of the genitive after μεριμνάω led to the insertion of τὰ by the copyists (cf. 1 Corinthians 7:32-34). Sufficient unto the day, etc.; Tyndale, "For the day present hath ever enough of his own trouble." Sufficient (Matthew 10:25, note). -Pulpit Commentary
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"Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof" is an aphorism which appears in the Sermon on the Mount in the Gospel of Matthew chapter 6 — Matthew 6:34.
The wording comes from the King James Version and the full verse reads: "Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof." It implies that we should not worry about the future, since each day contains an ample burden of evils and suffering. The same words, in Hebrew, are used to express the same thought in the Rabbinic Jewish saying dyya l'tzara b'shaata (דיה לצרה בשעתה), "the suffering of the (present) hour is enough for it". The original Koine Greek reads ἀρκετὸν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἡ κακία αὐτῆς (arketon tē hēmera hē kakia autes); alternative translations include:
However, Jesus's sermon has sometimes been interpreted to mean that God knows everyone's needs. -Wikipedia |
So how do we explain the word “first” in Matthew 6, if there is no “second” as we argued in part 1? I am not a Greek scholar, and therefore I do not master the order of words in Greek sentences. Nevertheless, in light of the evidences already brought forth, I will postulate that Matthew 6:33 should have been translated:
Matthew 6:33 – But first seek ye the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
Instead of “seek ye first” as found in just about all biblical translations, I believe we should understand “first seek ye”. There is a difference, and it is a significant one. When one says “seek ye first” the word “first” refers to the object to be sought (in Matthew 6, it is the kingdom of God and His righteousness). And we can ask…Seek ye first what? Answer: the Kingdom of God and His righteousness. And because of that, logic dictates that what must come after should be “seek ye second this” (or something similar), which could also be followed by “seek ye third that”. “First”, “second” and “third” all refer to what needs to be sought after, the actual objects.
Matthew 6:33 – But first seek ye the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
Instead of “seek ye first” as found in just about all biblical translations, I believe we should understand “first seek ye”. There is a difference, and it is a significant one. When one says “seek ye first” the word “first” refers to the object to be sought (in Matthew 6, it is the kingdom of God and His righteousness). And we can ask…Seek ye first what? Answer: the Kingdom of God and His righteousness. And because of that, logic dictates that what must come after should be “seek ye second this” (or something similar), which could also be followed by “seek ye third that”. “First”, “second” and “third” all refer to what needs to be sought after, the actual objects.
The phrase “All these things” refers to the many legitimate needs of humans—food, clothing, and basic material goods. Jesus’ disciples are not to worry about their basic human needs but to focus their primary attention on “his kingdom and his righteousness.” This describes a life of inner trust and peace, not one of anxiety.
Does your heart feel at peace? If you know that God owns all things, will supply all things, and is control of all things, you won’t try to find fulfillment in buying the newest iPhone or upgrading your car. You will be free to seek God’s kingdom first. Do you struggle with anxiety and fear over your security? It’s okay if you do. In fact, Jesus is sympathetic to our weaknesses and our proclivities toward fear (Hebrews 4:14–16). Ask God to show you where you’re struggling with fear and to begin filling you with trust that He is in control and that your security lies in Him.
Does your heart feel at peace? If you know that God owns all things, will supply all things, and is control of all things, you won’t try to find fulfillment in buying the newest iPhone or upgrading your car. You will be free to seek God’s kingdom first. Do you struggle with anxiety and fear over your security? It’s okay if you do. In fact, Jesus is sympathetic to our weaknesses and our proclivities toward fear (Hebrews 4:14–16). Ask God to show you where you’re struggling with fear and to begin filling you with trust that He is in control and that your security lies in Him.
Two things are also worth noticing about this saying from Jesus.
First, although the King James translation talks about having 'no thought for the morrow' the Vulgate says 'don't be worried about tomorrow' and this seems more realistic. We have to plan - in so far as is reasonable - to avoid any additional evils that the tomorrow may bring. But we don't have to bear the burden of them as worries. Second, there is no doubt that tomorrow may bring evil - and this is something to worry about - there and then. Jesus is not a stoic; he is not saying that bad things don't matter or that they are only a function of our desires and aspirations. For Christians the world should be good and our best aspirations and their fulfilment are also good. Christianity is not nihilistic and it is not interested in annulling our desires. But this also means that when evil comes then evil must be resisted and overcome - not wished away. -Simon Duffy |
What are we to understand by “Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof”? Gluttony is a sin, but surely sufficiency (and nothing more) is what we should aim for. So why “evil”?
This quotation of Matthew 6.34b is from the Authorised Version, and one deeply etched in the memory. Unfortunately, in this instance, as our modern versions make amply clear, it gives the unreliable translation of the important Greek word he kakia, as “evil”. Consequently, in this particular question, we can be led astray along paths of faulty interpretations that have no support in the original text. It is necessary to compare the AV of this saying with modern versions. The New English Bible and New International Version both have “Each day has trouble enough of its own”; the RSV has “Let the day’s own trouble be sufficient for the day”; and the NRSV gives “Today’s trouble is enough for today.” This translation, in preference to “evil”, also has the support of the frequent use of he kakia in the Septuagint (the Greek Old Testament) for the Hebrew word ra-ah = trouble, misery, or affliction. In this solitary occurrence of this Greek word in the Gospels at Matthew 6.34 (unlike its use elsewhere in the New Testament), kakia does not have the meaning of wickedness or moral depravity, but a more general sense of trouble, adversity, or hardship. It also has an interesting rabbinic parallel in the Mishnaic Tractate Berakoth 9a: “There is enough trouble in its hour.” -Church Times |
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God is reason to live for. There, I said it. In fact, living for Jesus is the way to lift us up out of our circumstances because He is in the business of breaking vicious cycles that keep us in the patten of being stuck in the same survival-mode place. Jesus is the reason we need to start living. I know that is how it was for me. Jesus literally saved my life because He became the reason for me to start living. That is when the truth of His words became real. Jesus isn’t saying that our worries are not important. He is saying, “Let me worry about providing for you. You just worry about living for Me!” I did just that. Still doing it today.
So, if you are struggling to survive, take heart! Take hold of Jesus and he will take hold of your life. Live for Him and you will see that life is more than just survival. And if you are reading this and are so blessed to not have tasted poverty, then all the more reason to live your life recklessly and generously for God. Rich or poor and somewhere in between, the same truth applies: You don’t start living until you start living for Jesus. --Mercy City Church |
A key word in this passage is “first.” It is safe to say that as faithful people we all are seeking the Kingdom of God, it is just a question of where it ranks on our list of priorities. Life is all about choices. In this highly technological, consumer-driven and competitive world, we can often get caught up in our own busyness. We might occasionally need to stop to think about what we are so busy doing. What is it that we are seeking or maybe chasing? Why is it so hard to get ahead and feel fulfilled? Maybe it’s because we can never get enough of the things that don’t really fill our souls.
Jesus’ response to our worry-filled lives does not require us to pull away from the events, activities and people that make up our lives. Jesus is suggesting to move from the “many things” to the one necessary thing. He is referring to a change of heart. Our change of heart makes everything different, even while it remains the same. When we worry, we have our hearts in the wrong place. To seek the Kingdom of God means to make the Divine at the center of all we think, say and do. In the midst of our pains and our joys we need to make Christ a priority in the busyness of our lives. -Saint Peter Lutheran Church |
===matthew 6:34:
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Matthew 6:34:
34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. |
“Let each day upon its wing,
Its allotted burden bring; Load it not, beside, with sorrow That belongeth to tomorrow. Strength is promised, strength is given, When the heart by God is riven; But foredate the date of woe, And alone thou bear'st the blow.” |
Proverb sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof
- There is no need to worry about the future; the present provides enough to worry about.
Synonyms: never cross a bridge before you come to it, never trouble trouble till trouble troubles you
Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.--The word rendered "evil" occurs in the Gospels only in this passage, and in the Epistles has commonly the sense of "wickedness." That meaning would be too strong here; but it reminds us that our Lord is speaking not of what we call the simple accidents or misfortunes of life, but of the troubling element which each day brings with it, and against which we have to contend, lest it should lead us into sin. That conflict is more than enough for the day, without anticipating a further mischief. --Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers
will worry about
μεριμνήσει (merimnēsei)
Verb - Future Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 3309: To be over-anxious; with acc: To be anxious about, distracted; I care for. From merimna; to be anxious about.
μεριμνήσει (merimnēsei)
Verb - Future Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 3309: To be over-anxious; with acc: To be anxious about, distracted; I care for. From merimna; to be anxious about.